


Least We Forget

by LesbianLametron



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Amnesia, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Getting Back Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 17:08:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16876833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbianLametron/pseuds/LesbianLametron
Summary: Lance and Shiro had previously dated in college, but have since broken up. It would be a stretch to say they're still friends. Breaking up and miscommunications have caused them to be barely more than acquaintances at best, now, they're practically strangers. Lance is driving home from work one night and gets in a car accident. He wakes up in the hospital with amnesia. It was if he brain had reset and forgotten the past two years. Shiro arrives at the hospital only to find out that Lance still believes they're together.





	Least We Forget

**Author's Note:**

> This is my fic for the Shance AU bang. It was a pleasure to work with my two artists Lindsey (@Crafty-scrafty) and Mori (@dyinginjapanse) their art will be link in my tumblr post. (heith-chief on tumblr) Thanks to my lovely Beta Kitty (@SuccubustyKisses) for catching all my grammatical errors and awkwardness!  
> This is only the first chapter and more will be to come~! My goal is to have it completed in the next couple of weeks.

After a long, chaotic day, Lance’s drive home had become the one calm moment. The commute had become so automatic at this point that he basically ran on autopilot. That and there weren’t many cars out at this time of night. It was tranquil and easy, but also dangerous in a way. In the twenty minutes of unoccupied time, his mind would drift off when he was least expecting it. If he wasn’t distracted, he always went back to his mind’s favorite idle topic. Shiro. 

Most break-ups had a unwritten rule, not to be friends with an ex, there was too much history there, feelings were too intertwined. Every ex-couple thought they could beat that, especially if they parted amicably. Lance and Shiro hadn’t quite promised to stay friends, but they were still part of the same friend group and neither was willing to sever those friendships. So in a way they did become friends, but Lance knew deep down that it wasn’t healthy.

Friends didn’t day dream of what the relationship could have been if things hadn't fizzled out. They didn’t analyze every laugh, or smile that the other wore when talking to another guy. They didn’t stew on mistakes and let wounds fester way longer than they should have. They  _ especially _ didn’t hope every romantic endeavor went down in flames. But it had been three years since they broke up, Lance should be over it, shouldn’t he? Too much time had passed to fix it, and too much had happened to even talk about it. So he was in limbo, not quite moved on, just stuck.

Back then, things had been simple, all they had to worry about was going to class and which bar had the cheapest alcohol. It was the future that broke them up, or reality as some would say. True adulthood was so much different from the bubble of university. Shiro was getting ready to start a real job and move, while Lance still had one year left. The distance and the lack of time had killed them. Maybe if it had been a big blow up fight, it would have been easier to get over Shiro. Then, at least, he could be mad. No, they just fizzled out with no real sense of closure. 

Now, too much time had passed and real life got in the way. It was easy for the busyness of a week to fly by without even trying contact each other even once. He only ever saw Shiro when they hung out as a group, never individually, and Lance guessed that was Shiro’s intention. They were friendly and even joked around sometimes, showing hints of what they used to be. That just made Lance’s heart squeeze in his chest with the weight of what could have been. Still, he’d give anything for a chance to go back. To start over. 

Fate seemed to have a weird way of working, of answering that silent plea. Lance would have never asked for what happened, but it would grant his wish. Those two words had been last he thought, before being blinded by two bright lights. He couldn’t think if he had made the wrong move, if he had crossed the intersection out of turn, all that he felt was panic. The oncoming car had run the red light, speeding too fast, and slammed into Lance’s driver’s side. His car spun in a nearly perfect circle before skidding to a stop on the side of the road. The force of the crash caused Lance to bang his head into the steering wheel. He was unconscious before the police had arrived.

* * *

 

The first thing Lance noticed when he begrudgingly peeled his eyes open was that everything was way too bright. Too bright and too white. It only took him a moment to comprehend that he was in the hospital, but why? The pain and effort it took even pick his head up helped him realize he’s been in some sort accident. He blinked a few times to bring everything into focus and he heard a gasp of relief. To his left is Hunk, sitting on a chair next to the bed. 

“You’re finally awake!” Hunk’s voice was overjoyed and Lance tried to gauge how long he’d been out. It’s clearly day time and he vaguely remembered that it was night time, or should have been. Hunk turned his head to call out into the hallway. “Everyone, Lance is awake!” 

One by one his friends filed in, Pidge first, then Allura and finally Keith. Lance waited in anticipation but the final person, the most important one didn’t follow. If it were reversed, he’d be sitting by Shiro’s bedside, refusing to leave him. A few seconds passed and nothing. Unrest and stress start to rise in Lance’s chest making his breathing rapid and shallow. Why was his own boyfriend not here?  _ Did I do something? Did Shiro and I get into a fight before the accident? How long have I been out? Please tell me he’s coming. Please tell me he still loves me.  _

The distress and anxious thoughts cause tears to form in Lance’s eyes and spill over without any control. Allura, being so compassionate, rushed to his side. “Lance, what is it? Does it hurt somewhere?” 

“Why isn’t Takashi here?”

They all shared a look, trying to figure out what is going on. Lance hasn’t called Shiro ‘Takashi’ since they’ve been dating. Hunk cleared his throat and decided to answer for all of them, “We called Shiro but he had to work. He’ll come by later.” 

More tears fall down Lance’s cheeks and now he knows something is wrong. In his mind, he couldn’t conceptualize why his own boyfriend wouldn’t get off work to see him. He would have rushed to the hospital, risking getting fired, just to see Shiro if things were switched. They must have had a fight.

“What do you mean? He’s my boyfriend he should be here!” 

Allura stepped back in shock, making worried eye contact with Hunk. He was the one closest to Lance, he’d know what to do. They all looked at each other, realizing what was going on. The doctor had previously warned them Lance might have slight, hopefully temporary, amnesia when he woke up. Without saying anything they all tried to figure out what the best course of action would be. They were told to keep him calm because he’s been injured, but should they lie to him? Should they go along with it? 

Keith, being the most rational, took the lead and turned back to Lance. “You’re not dating Shiro, you haven’t been for two years.”

Lance swallowed and blinked at Keith in silent disbelief. He just couldn’t understand. Didn’t he and Shiro just go on a date yesterday? They just celebrated their two year anniversary. That couldn’t be right. Why was Keith playing a joke on him. He started sobbing and the morphine caused him to go into hysterics. 

“Keith. You’re lying! We just celebrated our anniversary! Now I could have died and he’s not here. Why? What did I do wrong?! How long has it been?!” 

Hunk placed a hand on Keith’s arm and shook his head. Keith took a deep breath and nodded, stepping back, clearly that wasn’t working. “Lance, buddy calm down. He’s on his way. We’ll get him here. Allura is calling him.” 

Shiro sighed when he saw Allura’s name come up on his caller ID. He knew it was about Lance, but he was swamped at work. Yes, he was worried, but he just couldn’t leave right now. Maybe if there was still a  _ them _ , it would have been different. Lance was okay, he’d live, so Shiro didn’t need to be there. He had convinced himself of this, but picked up the phone anyway. 

“Hey Allura. Is everything okay?” 

Allura took a deep breath and sighed. “It’s worse than we thought. Lance has amnesia. He thinks...he’s convinced you two are still together. He’s sobbing and hysterical because you’re not here. I know you’re busy, but can you come? I just talked to his doctor who came in to help calm Lance down. He says we should keep things as normal as possible, but also try not to upset him too much. I’m not saying you should go along with this, but he really needs you.” 

“I’ll be there. I’m coming right now.” Shiro hung up the phone and told his boss that he had to go. Family emergency. He didn’t even listen to his boss’s response. Right now, he didn’t care if he got fired. If Lance really needs him. He’s there. Just because they were broken up didn’t mean that he didn’t care. 

* * *

The minute he walked into the room, Lance immediately calmed down and sighed in relief. “Takashi! Babe, I was so scared I had done something wrong and you weren’t coming. I...” Lance started crying again. He was just so exhausted and confused. 

Shiro looked around the room and tried to decide what to do. Everyone else seemed to want him to just go with it. So he did. Shiro approached the bed and kissed Lance. “I’m so sorry. My boss was being an ass and wouldn’t let me leave. I’m here now.”

He caught Keith’s eye when straightened up and Keith shook his head. Clearly he was against this plan, but Shiro didn’t care. The others had mixed emotions about it too. Allura and Pidge were silent, but didn’t protest. Hunk looked relieved that Lance seemed calmer now. 

Lance grabbed Shiro’s hand and his lip trembled. “Takashi, what’s going on?” 

Shiro smiled sadly and sat down on the bed. In the back of his mind he knew this was wrong, but he just couldn’t say no. Lance needed him and it felt good to be needed by him again. They had become so distant in the last two years and Shiro hated that. 

“You were in an accident last night when you were driving home from work. A drunk driver ran a light and hit your car. You hit your head pretty hard.” 

He furrowed his brows together trying to understand what Shiro was talking about. “I don’t have a car.”

So it wasn’t just the relationship, Shiro suddenly suspected that Lance still thought they were in University. It seemed to be a problem with his short-term memory. “Lance, darling,” Shiro started, keeping his voice as gentle as possible, “what day is it?” 

“March 26th.” 

“What year?” 

Lance swallowed, suddenly nervous because of the concern painted on Shiro’s face. “...2016.”

Just as he thought, Lance thought they were still in college. In 2016, they had been living together for a year and would have celebrated their second anniversary as a couple. That date was a month before they officially broke up. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Shiro saw Allura cover her mouth with her hand, trying to hold in her gasp. His stomach tightened and his palms started sweating. This wasn’t good. No wonder Lance had been so distressed that Shiro was missing earlier. They were happier than ever two years ago. 

The group’s collective grimaces had not gone unnoticed by Lance. He looked around trying to read what was going on from their faces. “What’s wrong? I’m wrong aren’t I? Stop keeping me in the dark. How long have I been asleep?” 

“Please stay calm. Aggravation will only worsen your condition.” Lance had looked up to see Keith’s mother, Krolia walking into the room. He knew she was a Doctor, but in another town. Why would they be there instead of at a hospital near the Uni?

Krolia silently indicated for them to all clear out, giving her son a look and then looking toward the door. She sat next to Shiro, placing a hand on his arm. He was fine to stay. Lance would probably need him to stay calm. 

“I’m glad to see you awake. Can you tell me your name?” 

“Lance McClain.” 

“Very good. What day is it? Please include the year as well.” 

“March 26, 2016.” 

Krolia nodded, but kept all other emotion off of her face. “What do you do for a living?” 

“I’m a student, but I plan to go into restaurant management. I’m going to do an internship after I graduate, a paid internship at Wildfire, a steakhouse in the city.” 

Although he was two years behind the current timeline, it was a good sign that he at least had a good knowledge of himself. “Lance, there is no easy way to say this, but you have a slight case of amnesia. It is March 26th, but 2018, not 2016.” 

Lance suddenly felt numb and a little bit like he’d drank a cold drink too fast. That couldn’t be right. “W-was I in a coma?” 

“No, thankfully you were only unconscious for about eighteen hours. Besides the amnesia, your injuries are minor. A few bruised ribs, stitches in your forehead and a broken arm. You’ll make a full recovery, physically.” 

The way she said that made Lance’s heart sink like an anchor.  _ Physically.  _ He was speechless, just trying to take everything in. It had been two years from when he actually thought it was...maybe that was why Shiro didn’t show up right away. Maybe something really had happened to them. 

Shiro looked over a Lance and asks the question he couldn’t seem to articulate. Lance was too lost in his head. “What about his memories?” 

“Head injuries are the hardest to predict. I wish I had an answer for you, but I don’t. The best thing for you would be to try to get back into your normal routine.” Krolia’s eyes shifted to Shiro as she said that. Either she was trying to tell him to take care of Lance or to not lie about their relationship. 

_ If I even knew what normal was right now.... _ Lance thought, staring at Shiro as if just looking at the man he loved would solve everything. Back then it did, but now, he had no clue. He was starting to worry that whatever his mind had forgotten in those two years was something he might not want to remember. Maybe it was a subconscious sign from the universe. 

“I’ll give you two some time. Don’t hesitate to use the call button if you need anything. Let us know right away if anything changes, especially pain wise.” Krolia smiled at Lance and quietly left the room. 

She passed Keith and gave him a grim look. “It is for sure amnesia. Let Shiro handle where to take this. He’s clearly still the most important to Lance right now, he’ll trust him over anyone else.” Krolia put a hand on Keith’s arm, squeezing it gently to comfort him. Although Keith was trying to put on a brave face, he was scared. “I know you want to make things right, but trust Shiro and follow his lead right now, honey. I love you.” 

Keith nodded and started to walk away the minute his mother left. “We shouldn’t overwhelm Lance right now. Mom’s right. We’ll see him later.” Allura and Hunk were hesitant to leave at the moment, but Keith knew when to keep a level head. They nodded, gazing once again at the door and followed him out of the hospital. 

Shiro overhead Krolia and Keith in the hallway, but he wasn’t focused on that. Lance looked absolutely dumbfounded and lost. 

“What do I do now?” 

“You’ll be on leave for a little while, but going back to work would be the best thing for you.” Right now, Shiro had to keep his own emotions out of it. This was about Lance and doing what was best for him. 

“Where do I work?” Lance’s questions were short and to the point. He just needed the information, right? To fill in the gaps in his memory. 

“Wildfire. You’ve been there a year now. They love you and promoted you to manager right after your internship.” 

“Do I live in the city?” 

Shiro smiled and nodded, “Yes, you do, in an apartment about ten minutes away by car. Sometimes, when it’s nice out, you'll walk to work.” 

Lance looked a little comforted by that. At least he’d gotten everything he set out to do after graduating college. He just wished he could remember the path getting there. How did long distance go? How did he feel when they finally moved in together? Would they have just celebrated 4 years together?  _ Unless...unless none of that happened. Shiro was late today. He did kiss me, and we are holding hands right now, but why do I feel like there’s something he’s not telling me?  _

“Shiro...are we still together?” 

This was the question he’d been dreading. Shiro still wasn’t sure he should just say yes. Wouldn’t it be wrong to lie? Then he looked into Lance’s beautiful blue eyes and they started to fill with tears. His ex was so scared to live out their truth, to be alone when everything else was so dark already. It was wrong, but Shiro couldn’t do it. He couldn’t break Lance’s heart again, not when he was so broken right now. He would pretend for now and when things calmed down, he’d tell Lance the truth. 

Shiro smiled and surprisingly it felt genuine. Maybe there was a little piece deep inside him that wanted to go back, to be like this again. “Of course we are, sweetheart. We live together and everything. We were going to celebrate our anniversary this weekend, but we’ll save that until you’re out of the hospital.” 

Lance let out a sigh of relief and he finally smiled. That coupled with the joy in his heart wiped away any uneasy feelings he was harboring just a moment ago. Suddenly everything felt like it was going to be okay. Sure, he didn’t remember everything and the adjustment was going to be hard, but he had the best person to help him by his side. 

“I got really scared there for a moment, Kashi.” 

Shiro wanted to reply with ‘me too’ but he just smiled, leaning in to give Lance a small kiss. He knew all this was wrong, but he just couldn’t stop now that he'd started. Lance was like an addiction that he’d been abstaining from for so long. Breaking it felt so good, the kisses alone were near euphoric. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Shiro pulled Lance into a careful hug when he broke the kiss. Before he had tried to suppress it. Lance had been hit by a car, but he was fine. Shiro didn’t need to be there right away, Lance probably didn’t care if he saw him or not. He’d convinced himself of those things and threw himself back into work, even though his heart was screaming to run to Lance’s side. He didn’t have that kind of claim on Lance’s anymore. He knew full well he threw that away years ago. 

Now, with things like they were, it was like he was given permission to care again. Permission to be scared and to hold Lance close like the precious lover he’d once been. It just now set in that if the accident had gone in a different direction, if Lance had been hit head on instead from the side, he could have been dead. Krolia had mentioned how lucky Lance was to only have minor injuries. Then Shiro would have always been left wondering ‘what if’.

Lance gasped as he felt a sudden wetness soak through the fabric of his hospital gown. “Takashi…”

He was going to take every advantage of this time to start over. To use this time to see what could have been. What if he hadn’t broken up with Lance or what if they had gotten back together when they both moved to the city? He was about to find out. “Sorry, I just...it all just hit me that I could have lost you. I was so scared, but I’m so relieved now.” 

“Me too. Even if I don’t have all of me right now.” 

“We’ll pick up the pieces together.” Shiro murmured and Lance smiled, so lucky Shiro was there.


End file.
